Why Projects Fill Up

It’s the end of a long day you’re finally able to sit down and go through all your emails. Maybe works been kind of a drag, or you’ve been running around from place to place. But you cheer up when you find one of your favorite things in your inbox: an invitation from an Obviously to sign up for a new project. Yes! You eagerly follow the link and read the project description. It’s perfect. You’re about to accept when…

“Sorry, this project is not available to you.”

What gives? Why did we reach out to you with a fake project?

We didn’t. I promise you. We would never try to trick you or send out a fake invitation. Not only do we like you too much, this sort of thing wouldn’t do us any good. What actually happened is this: sometime between when the email was sent and when you were able to sign up, the project was filled up by other eager influencers. I know this can be both disappointing and confusing, so I’m going to walk you through our process, explain exactly how it works, and help you get in the best position to start collaborating with brands.

Here are some of the most common questions we get about signing up for projects.

Are other people getting the invite before me?

Absolutely not. Everyone on our platform who is a good fit for the project receives an invitation at the exact same time.

Are projects first come-first-served?

No. When you sign up for a project, you are putting yourself on a waitlist (more on that later). The brand then selects from qualified influencers based on a bunch of specific criteria that are different for every campaign.

How fast do waitlists fill up?

It can be pretty fast! For some of our most popular brands, waitlists are filled within the hour. Normally it take a couple hours, or maybe a day or two. If it’s been longer than two days, the waitlist is almost certainly full.

What exactly am I signing up for here?

Good question. The term waitlist can be a bit confusing, because it implies that you’re waiting for someone to drop out or for more spaces to open up. A better term is actually, shortlist, and we’re in the process of changing this on our site, but it might take some time. (So please bear with us.) What you’re signing up for is a list for the brand to select from. You do have to wait, but it’s not because there’s anyone ahead of you.

Having too many people on the list can be confusing for brands and slow down our process, so we try to limit the list to about double the number of influencers who will ultimately participate on the project. This is why our shortlists eventually fill up.

I missed it but I really want to do it. Can’t you add me?

It’s very important that we keep the process fair for everyone. If you have a preexisting relationship with a brand, or if they are just your dream brand to work with, please be patient. We can’t get you on this project, but we will certainly be reaching out to you again. We work with brands over and over, and if you’re a good fit now you’ll be just as good a fit for the next one.

How can I increase my chances?

My number one recommendation is to put an alert on your phone for Obviously emails so you can see them the moment they come in. Signing up for as many projects as possible for is the best way to increase your chances of landing a great collaboration. Keep in mind that if we don’t reach out for a project that seems like a match there is likely a good reason, such as it being focused in another country. Nevertheless, it never hurts to reach out and ask.

Finally, if you were able to sign up for the waitlist, but weren’t ultimately selected, please check out this blog post for some tips and insights.

I hope that clears up some of the confusion regarding our sign-up process. If you still have questions please never hesitate to reach out or leave your questions right here in the comments.